National Geographic, Gallup and Dan Buettner, author of Blue Zones of Happiness, recently announced The 25 Happiest Cities in the United States. The rankings are based on an index of 15 metrics including civic engagement, walkability and healthy food options. Boulder, Colo., tops the list.
The study established 15 metrics—from eating healthy and learning something new every day to civic engagement, financial security, vacation time and even dental checkups—that signal happiness. The National Geographic Gallup Special/Blue Zones Index draws on nearly 250,000 interviews conducted with adults from 2014 to 2015 in 190 metropolitan areas across the United States.
In happier places, according to Buettner, locals smile and laugh more often, socialize several hours a day, have access to green spaces, and feel that they are making purposeful progress toward achieving life goals. “If you want to get happy, don’t try and change your belief system. Change your environment,” he says.
National Geographic’s 25 Happiest Cities in the United States
- Boulder, Colorado
- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, California
- Charlottesville, Virginia
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, California
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California
- Provo-Orem, Utah
- Bridgeport-Stamford, Connecticut
- Barnstable Town, Massachusetts
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, Florida
- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, California
- Salinas, California
- North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida
- Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, California
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Manchester-Nashua, New Hampshire
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, California
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn., Wisconsin
- San Diego-Carlsbad, California
- Portland-South Portland, Maine
- Austin-Round Rock, Texas
VIA | National Geographic, “These Are the Happiest Cities in the United States”
Photo: Boulder, Colo. via istock